Nolita/SoHo/Tribeca/Chinatown : Lucky Magazine

Scoop

This 10,000-square-foot mega-Scoop (the largest in the city) spans an entire block, from Broadway to Mercer Street.
473-475 Broadway (between Broome and Grand Sts.), 212-925-3539, scoopnyc.com

Products: Denim, Lingerie/Loungewear, Swimwear, Women's Clothing, Shoes, Bags, Jewelry, Beauty
Type of Store: Boutique

Sigerson Morrison and Belle

Sigerson's main store—which, with its white tiles and alabaster walls, has the bright, clean feel of a spa—stocks its much-loved downtown-elegant shoes; its lower-priced Belle line is located around the corner in a new stand-alone boutique.
Sigerson Morrison: 28 Prince St. (between Mott and Elizabeth Sts.), 212-219-3893;
Belle: 242 Mott St. (between Houston and Prince Sts.), 212-941-5404,
sigersonmorrison.com

Products: Shoes
Type of Store: Boutique, Designer Discount

Steven Alan

One of the formidable forces in shaping NYC's boutique culture, Steven Alan's Tribeca emporium has fast-tracked many a major trend. Though shops that exclusively carry his collection of intentionally rumpled button-downs and shirtdresses now populate the city, the Franklin Street flagship, with its deep apothecary-like shelving and rolling-ladder-adorned, library-ish walls, is the best. Here, vintage Rolexes, Mara Hoffman dresses, and A.P.C. trenches happily coexist. 103 Franklin St. TRIBECA 212-343-0692, stevenalan.com

Tory Burch

Tory Burch is fast building an empire with her preppy-glam pieces, which often have a Palm Beach-in-the-1960s look.
257 Elizabeth St. (between Houston and Prince Sts.), 212-334-3000, toryburch.com

Products: Women's Clothing, Shoes, Bags, Jewelry
Type of Store: Boutique

Uniqlo

The formula at this recent arrival from Japan: Keep the inside of the store ultra-simple to focus the attention on the highly affordable, unfussy, super-cool clothing. Its under-$100 cashmere line is especially popular.
546 Broadway (between Prince and Spring Sts.), 917-237-8811, uniqlo.com

Products: Denim, Women's Clothing, Shoes, Bags
Type of Store: Boutique

Urban Outfitters

U.O. was the clothier of hipsters before the term even existed. This branch, its original Manhattan location, has recently expanded to accommodate a wide range of their streetwise basics and runway-influenced separates.
628 Broadway (between Houston and Bleecker Sts.), 212-475-0009, urbanoutfitters.com

Products: Denim, Lingerie/Loungewear, Swimwear, Women's Clothing, Shoes, Bags, Jewelry, Beauty, Decorative/Lighting, Furniture, Linens, Tabletop, Books/Stationery, Gifts/Design
Type of Store: Boutique

Zero Maria Cornejo

Now two locations strong—including a gigantic store on Bleecker—Zero + Maria Cornejo continues to turn out strongly cut, highly conceptual tulip-shaped dresses and cropped jackets. It's rare that the Chilean-born designer ever uses a print or pattern, focusing instead on intensive draping, which means that while many items look confusing on the hanger, they're extraordinarily cool to wear. 33 Bleecker St. NOHO 212-925-3849; 807 Greenwich St. WEST VILLAGE 212-620-0460, zeromariacornejo.com for more information

Chelsea Girl Couture

Loved by celebs, Chelsea Girl is a great resource for offbeat vintage clothing; expect garments from heavy hitters like Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci sprinkled into the mix.
186 Spring St. (between Sullivan and Thompson Sts.), 212-343-7090, chelsea-girl.com

Costume National

Italian by design but imbued with a Japanese sensibility, this line favors a neutral palette and loose yet tailored shapes. Especially great are its shoes and bags.
160 Mercer St. (between Prince and Houston Sts.), 212-431-1530, costumenational.com

Products: Women's Clothing, Shoes
Type of Store: Boutique

Court

Situated in a former mob museum in Little Italy, this year-old endeavor from the women behind the East Village vintage shop Circa Now is as low-lit and moody as a 19th-century jail cell. The racks hold a smattering of handpicked antique treasures, but most of the space is devoted to small, edgy, and affordable lines, like Grey Ant, Mink Pink, and Sophomore
178 Mulberry St. (between Kenmare and Broome Sts.), 212-925-1022